Father Trevor Burfitt v. Gavin Newsom, et al.

Represented by Thomas More Society, Father Trevor Burfitt, a Catholic priest ministering in multiple California counties, challenged Governor Gavin Newsom's COVID-19 executive orders and related restrictions imposed since March 2020. The complaint alleged violations of the California Constitution, including free exercise of religion, liberty and due process, free speech, equal protection, assembly, autonomy privacy, and separation of powers.

The restrictions included bans on indoor worship, capacity limits, social distancing, face coverings, and singing bans, which Father Burfitt argued discriminated against religious gatherings compared to secular activities. Citing Supreme Court precedents like Tandon v. Newsom, the judgment permanently enjoins California from imposing unequal restrictions on religious worship, allowing only measures identical to or more favorable than those on similar gatherings, with limited exceptions for severe health crises.

The Superior Court of California, Kern County, entered a stipulated final judgment on May 27, 2021, with California agreeing to pay $550,000 in attorney's fees. This statewide injunction protects houses of worship from discriminatory pandemic measures, affirming religious freedom as essential under the California Constitution and setting a precedent against government overreach.